Another special day....

As I noted in my last post, this time last year my sister noted that Sherry was "happy, she can see shadows." Today, almost exactly one year later Sherry stood up in front of the entire congregation of our church and read two sentences from a piece of paper. I was so proud of her, and our girls who also had parts to read.

If you are interested, you can see the video by clicking here. It may take the video some time to load depending on your internet connection. Also, you need to be using Internet Explorer as your browser. Sherry speaks last, but for those of you who have been checking up on her and her progress, it will be worth the it. The video came from my still camera and the quality is not very good, but I hope you enjoy it.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

A messege from Betty....

This is an email that Sherry's vision therapist, Betty sent to her today. I am re-typing this, so you can assume that any typos are mine and not Betty's. Anyway, I thought you all might appreciate this.

Dear Sherry

I was on line today to catch up on you at "Sherry's Journey". I must say you are so loved and thought of by many people including your new family here at Foley Vision Center. We see many people on a journey/road to recovery. You, however, have made the biggest impression with all of us. As for me, I will always endear the words "going forward", that you have given such special and powerful meaning to. You have given them a rich honor. I use those word more now always with the intent to make a stronger impression. The family here is so inspired by you; they marvel at your drive and energy to keep going forward. They absolutley love it when I share with them how much progress you have made and what type of progress.

I spoke with Jennifer at Sacred Heart Rehabilitation earlier today. She said you had been in today and that she did some finger stretching with you and Jody.

Jody is sure the amazing person I am so glad you have her! But I was wondering when you fire her if I could have her?

I saw some snow today mainly mixed snow and rain. It made me wish for lots of snow. I was wondering if you enjoy snow? I love it!

Keep up the good work in the kitchen! I spoke with Dean earlier today he said that you made a meal the other day with directions from Jody. Congratulations Sherry!!! I encourage you to keep that up.

This time of year walks are brisk but very refreshing. I hope you enjoy them too. Take good care. See you soon, Happy home vision therapy.


Sincerely,

Betty Aflleje
Vision Therapist
Foley Vision Center


Nothing to add, enough for now

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Happy Holidays

Okay, okay....maybe I am finally getting into the spirit of the season. It has taken awhile, but I am starting to get into it a little bit. Sherry remains her "bah humbug" self, but I think deep down inside she is just glad to be here for Christmas.

Last year at this time, she was still in pretty bad shape having just come out of the second coma (or whatever it was that made her totally unresponsive for over two weeks.) I was reading from the "Visitor Log" that I put together for Sherry when she was at Eugene Rehab and Speciality Care. On December 13th, 2005 Sherry's stepmother Dona had visited and written in the log " Sherry "found" me. She knows who I am tonight." I was there the next day and wrote "Good visit, Sherry sat up in her bed to eat. She remembers our trip to Boston-she remembers a visit from Pastor Doug earlier in the day-she is making progress." Later that day my sister Kim wrote "Sherry is so happy, she can see shadows." I realize, more than ever just how far Sherry has come since then. It has been slow, steady progress and I know she is not done yet. I give her a very good chance to reach her goal of working again. Her timetable of three months may or may not reasonable, but she has the spirit and work ethic. If anyone can pull it off, I think she can. If she does not, we will just keep plugging away, always moving forward.

Thanks once again to all of the professionals who have and who continue to help Sherry. Thanks especially to our family and friends who continue to carry us through this. We hope all of you have the very best holiday ever.

Enough for now,

I love my wife tomorrow we move forward.

Can I have your job please??

Earlier today, Sherry made her third trip back to the Lane County Courthouse to visit friends and co-workers. It has been quite some time between visits. Sherry wanted to wait until her surgery was past her before she went back again. I was unable to be there this time so Jody went with her. From all reports it was was quite a visit. Sherry is seeing better than the last time she was there and I hear that everyone could tell. Sherry was looking all around, taking everything in, noticing changes in where people worked, checking out the new flat screen computer monitors. She told everyone there that she wants to be back to work by the end of February. She has a goal. I don't know if she can reach it by that date, but I think she will get there. She is so determined and works so hard. I talked to her former supervisor, Carmen on the phone later in the afternoon to see how things went. She is going to try and help Sherry out by providing a list of job related tasks that Sherry might work on during her therapy sessions. I think this will do her a world of good, knowing that she is actually working on specific things related to a job. This will also give us a better picture of where she is and how much there is still left to do.

Sherry will resume speech therapy on Monday and hopefully her other therapies later in the week. She has already started back up with her vision therapy and that is going well. She was even able to walk on a low balance beam with little trouble. She continues to amaze us.

As I was writing this Eric called from Chicago. Sherry got up out of bed (no easy feat as not much will get her up after she has gone to bed) to talk with him and the grandkids. It put a big smile on her face and some tears to her eyes. She told me after talking to Eric that today was just an "insane good day." She got to see her friends at the courthouse, talk to Eric. Tommorrow whe will see Sean and on Sunday she will see her mother and sister as we have a family get together at the clubhouse here at the park where we live. She is on a roll.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Ready to roll.....

Sherry had her second follow-up appt. with Dr. Ruff and it went very well. He was "amazed" at how fast and well she has recovered from the hernia repair operation. He admitted to Sherry and Jody that the operation had been very difficult, that going in to it he was not really sure he could accomplish what he needed to do. He has told her she no longer needs to wear the binder around her mid section and he has cleared her to resume her therapy sessions. She will hopefully be back in therapy in a week or so. She has done well during her recovery although we have noticed some backsliding in her ability to get around the house without help. She does pretty well, but has not moved with the confidence she was showing before the surgery. I am hoping that this is due only to her being more immobile over the last few weeks. I'm sure she will start to really move forward again soon.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Let the holidays begin......

Well, I guess the holiday season is now in full gear. Our family spent Thanksgiving at my brother's house where he and Amber put together a wonderful turkey dinner. My sister and mother were there as well as Sean. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed a wonderful meal. I hope everyone else had a safe and enjoyable holiday wth their families. Now, I guess it's on to Christmas. I hate to admit it, but I am not looking forward much to Christmas this year. The holidays always bring more than it's share of stress and that is one thing I am striving to remove from my life as much as possible. It nevers seems to quite happen like that , but it's a good goal anyway.

Sherry wanted to thank everyone for the emails (and e-card :) She was especially pleased to hear from her youngest son Eric who called from the Chicago area to check in on his mom. His call put a very big smile on her face. She was also glad that she could spend Thanksgiving with her oldest son. She wanted me to thank Jody for not minding that he spent the day away from her and their family. So, thank you for that Jody.

I would be lying if I said the last few weeks have not been very tough on us all. Sherry feels as if she is not "moving forward" while she recovers from her operation. She feels like she spends too much time sitting on her tush, as she would say. She really gets down on herself and becomes emotional and it is hard on everyone. It is made worse, I think, because much of the time we are stuck at home on the weekends. We do get out to chuch with the help of some very nice people, but other than that we are stuck at home. This being a very long weekend, it has just been harder than most I guess.

At church today, Pastor Doug gave a sermon that really hit home (as his sermons often seem to do .) It was all about not giving up or being satisfied with where we are in life. It was about always remembering to "run toward the goal." It was very inspiring, and seemed to speak directly to Sherry's situation (even though we of course know it was directed at a much wider audience.) I think Sherry got a lot out of it and I intend on reminding her of it it during some of her down times. We appreciate our Pastor and our church so much. I was never a very religious man and I still struggle with the big questions, but there is no doubt that our church has taken us to their hearts and have helped us a geat deal. It is one of the good things we can point to that has came out of this whole ordeal. Who knows, maybe they can even help me get out of my holiday funk!

well, enough for now,

I love my wife.....tomorrow we run torward the goal,

Dean

Moving forward, but.....

Once again, I am sorry for the delay in posting. Sherry continues to recover slowly from her surgery. She had her first follow-up appt. with Dr. Ruff a few days ago and everything is going very well. The drainage tube was removed and she was very happy about that. She does need to continue wearing the binder for a few more weeks (she is not so happy about that, although she understands why it is necessary.) She is beginning to get up and "run amuck" again at home. There seems to be little, if any pain at this point. She has pretty much stopped taking pain medication. Now it just seems to be a matter of time before she gets back to her therapy sessions. She is planning on going to her vision therapy appointment on Wednesday, her first step to getting back on track. Overall, we are pleased with where she is. She seems to have made through this and is almost ready to move on.

Having said that, I would personally appreciate it if those of you out there who follow this blog would post a response to this entry or maybe email Sherry at "deanojack13@comcast.net" There are "life things", as she would put it, going on around her that are weighing heavy on her mind and affecting her outlook on things. I have seen a real change in her attitude in the last several days. She tends to be more down on herself because she cannot help like she thinks she should. I think once she gets back to her regular schedule and keeps herself busy, things will improve. But for now, she could really use a few words of encouragement. She has come so far, but she has more work ahead of her. It feels to me like this is an important moment in her recovery and I would appreciate your help.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Home, Sweet Home

Sherry was released from the hospital around 2 pm today. She is at home and resting in her bed as I post this. She seems to have come through the surgery with flying colors. She is a little weak and in some pain, although not too much she says. She did take a pain pill as soon as she got home though. She must wear a binder around her abdomen for a few weeks to help the healing process. Overall she is in good spirits and very glad to be home again. Thanks to everyone who visited or sent flowers. We all appreciate it very much.

enough for now,
I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Recovering

Sherry continues to recover from her surgery on Thursday. She was in great spirits today. She still has some slight pain from time to time, but that is to be expected. She had a very slight low grade fever this afternoon, only about a degree over normal. Nobody seemed too concerned about it though. It is possible that she could come home as soon as tomorrow. I would not be surprized if they held her over until Sunday, but it could be tomorrow. She had several visitors today and that made her very happy. She just wants to get home and get back on track. One of her visitors today was her former supervisor at work and it just reminded her how much she misses her job and the people she worked with. It is still her goal to someday get back there.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

So far....so good

Sherry's surgery went very smoothly according to her surgeon. I just left her about 30 minutes ago and she was in some slight pain and was still very sleepy. It appears as if she has made it through this, so far, without complication. Now of course, we will keep a close eye out for infection and all the other post operative concerns. But I know she is in good hands and will be fine. I expect a few days of discomfort in the hospital and then home again to continue on with her overall recovery. I want to thank the pastor of our church, Doug Rose. He actually met us as we first came through the hospital door. He has been such a blessing to our family throughout all of this and he just continues to be of great help. I will keep everyone informed of Sherry's progress over the next few days.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

A big night

First...Sherry had her pre-op appt today and everything is set for her surgery on the 9th. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she goes through what is hopefully the last major medical procedure she will have to go through.

Going back a few nights.....Sherry attended the 5th Annual Communication Achievement Awards put on by my employer, the Eugene Hearing and Speech Center. This is our annual "event," held at the Hilton Hotel, to recognize people who have overcome, or helped others to overcome communication challenges. It is also a fundraiser for the Center, which is a non-profit organization. I am always heavily involved in the preparation for the event, producing the digital backgrounds, the programs, the invitations, posters and a video presentation. It is a stressful time for those of us who get the event ready and I think we are all glad it is over. It all went very well and was very successful.

Last year the evening was dedicated to Sherry as she was going through her ordeal. This year she was introduced from the podium by the Executive Director of EHSC. She stood up and accepted a very nice round of applause. It was a very touching moment and we both appreciated it very much. Sherry enjoyed the rest of the evening socializing with the many people who wanted to say hi, or meet her for the first time. She did great, was a real trooper. It was really her first big night out since coming home to us in February. She got all decked out with new clothes she bought just for the occasion , not to mention a new haircut as well. Unfortunatly, I had to work the event taking photos all evening, so I was not able to spend too much time with her. I want to thank Trish for agreeing to be her assistant for the evening. Once again, Trish really came through for us.

I am planning on posting more photos of the event and maybe even the video I produced on the media page of our website, www.sherrysjourney.com

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Just a short one

Sherry still awaits her surgery a week from today. She goes to see the Anesthesiologist tomorrow for her pre-surgery appointment. Last night was a big night for both Sherry and I. She attended The "5 Annual Communication Acheivement Awards" event put on by my employer, the Eugene Hearing and Speech Center. This was her first big night out and it went great. I will post more about that tomorrow and include photos. It is a great story, so check back :)

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Surgery scheduled

Hi everyone. Sorry for the long delay in postings. A combination of a bum knee and work related projects that I am working on at home has slowed me down a bit (well, that is my story and I'm sticking to it!) Much has happened as of late. Sherry's birthday celebration went very well with many people showing up to wish her well. She had a great time. After everyone had left and we were alone she started to cry and said it was the best birthday she had ever had. Thank you to everyone who found the time to come and celebrate this special birthday with her. We appreciate you all.

Today we met again with Dr. Ruff. The surgery to repair the ventrel hernia and also remove her gall bladder is set for 12:45 on Thursday, November 9th. It is a pretty big deal which will require a few days stay in the hospital and about a 6 week recovery time. She is very glad to finally have a date she can count on. As you know, she just wants to get this over with and "move forward." I will be glad when it over as well. Hopefully, this is the last major medical hurdle to overcome. Then we will get on with her recovery.

This morning Jody said she read an entire book outloud. It was a short self help book about customer service, how to interact with the public and co-workers. She said she enjoyed it and understood most of it. Two days ago she made meatloaf. Jody reported that really did mix all the ingredients and put them into the baking dish and then the oven. She was quite proud of herself over that one...as we all were.

Her slow, steady journey of recovery continues. We expect a short interruption, but then she will be on the road again. I will keep you all informed about the surgery. If you get the chance, stop in and visit her in the hospital. I know it would help her very much. Thank you all.

enough for now,

I love my wife...tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Celebration

Sherry's birthday celebration will be held this Friday evening at Pearl St. Ice Cream Parlour. We should be there right around 5 pm or shortly thereafter. Sherry would love to see as many of you as can come. She is very excited. If you have not seen her for awhile you may be amazed at the progress she has made. No need to bring gifts, just bring your good cheer and encouragement. If you have any questions just post a response to this blog entry and ask your question. I will respond right away. Hope to see you Friday night,

I love my wife........tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Timeline

Sherry had her appt. with the infectious disease specialist. He is of the opinion that Sherry probably did not have a severe reaction to an anti-biotic early in her illness. He feels that the severe breakout of her skin was probably just part of the original toxic shock syndrome. However, he did prescribe a anti-biotic that Sherry has not had before as a test. Jody gave her a small, pediatric dose this afternoon and she did not have any kind of reaction. I just gave her a slightly larger dose a few minutes ago and will watch her over the next few hours. If all goes well, she will be able to use the anti-biotic for her surgery.

Dr. Ruff wants to see Sherry again before scheduling surgery. He cannot get her in until the 27th. We have been told that the operation probably cannot be scheduled for at least two weeks after that. So, Sherry is looking at about another month or so before she can get this over with. This does not make her very happy, but she is dealing with it okay for now. She at least has something resembling a timeline.

We are beginning to plan a birthday get together for this Friday evening at the Pearl Street Ice Cream Parlour. She would love to see as many of you as can make it. I will post more info here in the days to come and also be making phone calls. I hope we can make this a special night for her, she sure deserves it.

enough for now,

I love my wife........tomorrow we move forward

Dean

a little down time

Sorry for the delay in posting. For the past week or so I have have been pretty much down with swelling of my right foot and knee. This is an ongoing situation that flares up from time to time. I'm not sure what is causing it but I am determined to get to the bottom of it, and find out. I have been on potent anti-inflammatories and pain killers since Tuesday. I think it's finally starting to resolve. It has made for a boring weekend for us all. I didn't even go to the Duck game on Saturday (break out the violin :) So, we have all had a little down time for several days now. Hopefully, the coming week will be better.

Sherry has continued to work hard. Her reading skills continue to improve almost daily it seems. As I write this she is reading her latest "Better Homes and Garden" magazine. She is looking forward to her appt. on Tuesday. She feels once her surgery has been done, she can move forward even faster. She really wants to get it over with..

Sherry's birthday is coming up very soon. I had intended on having the Papa's Pizza fundraiser (to help offset the cost of vision therapy) on her birthday, but the uncertainty of the surgery has made that impossible. I will keep you all informed of whatever plans we make for her birthday. I know she would love to see as many of you as possible. We had a party for her last year, but she was still very sick, almost totally blind. She went into her second coma shortly afterwards and does not remember the party at all today. I want to make this years party special for her.

Well, enough for now,

I love my wife........tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Waiting

Sherry will have to see another doctor to address the concern about anti-biotics. We cannot get her in until the 17th. of this month for that. The Surgery will not be scheduled until then. So, we continue wait.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Still no news

I talked to the doctor's office today and they still do not have anything scheduled regarding surgery. Hopefully, tomorrow we will find out, but I was told no promises. This is getting a bit frustrating, especially for Sherry who just wants to move forward and get this done.

Sherry's reading skills are definatly returning. This evening she sat in her chair and read from a cookbook (a different one than a few days ago) putting several words together at a time and having great fun. I honestly feel it is just a matter of time before she is reading books again which has always been one of her joys in life.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward

Dean

No news

No news yet on a date for Sherry's upcoming surgery. We will let you all know when we find out, hopefully tomorrow.

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Challenging surgery

Today we met with the surgeon that will perform surgery on Sherry's hernia. It will need to be done sooner rather than later. He would actually prefer to wait and let her recovery continue. However, she has too much of her intestines displaced to wait very long. The doctor thinks this will be a "challenging operation from a technical standpoint." There are some pretty serious risk factors, more than normal for this type of surgery. The primary concern at this point is anti-biotics. Sherry will need them as she heals from the surgery. We don't know what anti-biotic caused the very severe reaction that sent Sherry to the Burn Center in early August of 2005, but obviously it has to be avoided at all costs. So, Dr. Ruff is getting an Infectious disease specialist involved in the case before proceeding. We should know by Tuesday what they have decided. It goes without saying that this did not turn out to be the "cake walk" that we had all hoped for. It will not be a simple procedure. It will be open surgery and will require at least an overnight stay in hospital, if not more. We are in for a few tense weeks I'm afraid. Please continue to lend Sherry your support and encouragement. She is taking it all in stride of course, she just wants to be "fixed."

Sean and the kids came over for their usual Friday visit. It gave Sherry a chance to show off all of the new and exciting things she is doing these days. She demonstrated her ability to go through a deck of cards and correctly name all the suits and numbers, she threaded the buttons with the shoe lace, she did the puzzle she has been practicing and more. Then Sean got her to play a game of Go Fish! It took her only a few moments to catch on to the game again and she proceeded to "kick his tush." This was the first time she had played a game involving her vision and memory. We were all very, very excited for her. It was a great start and should only get better with time.

enough for now,

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Good days #2

Here is Jody's written journal entry of today. Again, my comments are below it in itallics.

9/28
4:30-5:00

Sherry continues to amaze me. Her work ethic is so great always wanting to do more. She is doing all the vision exercises with ease and confidence. She is also striving to read more, coming up with her own ideas and thoughts. I love it when she says "lets try this" or "I remember doing it this way." Even when there are lots of emotions and distractions around the house, she wants to get better so bad that she is able to push that back and do her work (with a few deep breaths!) I enjoy the big smile she has and big heart.

I talked with Don, Sherry's physical therapist today and he told me that we all should feel very encouraged about Sherry's progress. He agreed with me that this period of time seems to be the most accelerated recovery we have seen. He also feels things have really taken off since the prisms, glasses and vision therapy began. We are cutting back on physical and occupational therapy to concentrate more on speech and vision. These are exciting times.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward


Dean

Good days

These last several days and really, past several weeks, have been good ones for Sherry. She really seems to be progressing at a faster pace and her attitude reflects it. Jody is very good about keeping a written journal about Sherry. I am going to share some of that with you all tonight. I will begin with today's entry and go backwards from there. My comments will be in itallics.

9/27
2-2:15 p.m.

We practiced with the thread and buttons using the patch and she did very well. Sherry had a good attitude and was very excited about working. She helped fold the towels. Her eyes are getting very good at tracking and I am hoping we will increase the challenge of the activities next week. Her confidence is good.

3:30-3:45 p.m.

Sherry was looking at a cookbook and reading some of the bold words even pages that didn't have pictures. She also helped me with the dishes. Thanks Sherry.

Sherry is now able to thread a large button with a shoe lace, something she would not have been able to do just a few short weeks ago. Jody told me that Sherry was very helpful and did a great job drying the dishes today. Getting back into the everyday household routines is so important to her. Perhaps the most exciting news of the day was the cookbook. She read the cookbook for well over two solid hours today. She had a huge smile on her face when I came home, she told us she could see and READ so much more than before. She proved it too, reading several words and even parts of sentences. Why is this happening? I think it is a combination of many things. I think her brain is just rewiring itself at a faster pace at this moment in time. I think the vision therapy and working with the prisms has had a huge effect. And of course all of her hard work with her speech, physical and occupational therapists. She has a great team behind her and she wants everything back so badly, we can't help but be hopeful.

9/26
4:15-4:45

Sherry is following objects better and able to see faster moving objects. I also think she can see to the side better. She also notices when she moves her head more (during the vision therapy work.) She knows this is working for her.

9/25
5-5:15 p.m. Brittney to help.

Sherry was in a better mood after her mom called. She was "running amuck" and cleaning near the phone. She is getting much better at following targets.

9/25
1-1:15 p.m.

She was in a good mood, had no problem doing the exercises. Did well with the puzzle. She also said that around the house the arrows we put up (I put post-it note colored arrows on all the light switches, door nobs, nobs to her dresser, fridge door handle etc so she might be able to see them better.) have made a big difference for her. When we use the prisms she got all four trys correct (up, down, left, right) She did not need any direction and had no problem finding my hands. Great job!

9/22
5-5:15 p.m.

Brittney helped Sherry with vision therapy. She did very well (both of them) She was able to see Brittney's tiny hand. She is getting much better at following targets. She feels for the puzzle holes, but going forward.

I hope that this gives you all some sense of how well Sherry is doing. I got a very good report from Kirsten, her speech therapist. She is doing very well during those sessions as well, sometimes surprising Kirsten. Kirsten also sees a huge difference since Sherry began using the prisms.

I remember when Sherry was in Eugene Rehab about this time last year. she didn't know what simple household items like coffee cups, hairbrush, tooth brush were and she could really only tell the difference between light and dark. How hard she has worked, how far she has come. We are not done yet, but watch out, she is charging forward.

enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Confirmation

Yesterday, Sherry's CT scan confirmed that she does have a hernia. More specifically, a
ventral hernia. We will meet with a surgeon on the 29th. to determine what to do next. In all probability she will undergo a surgical procedure. After doing some internet research last night, I am comfortable with the possibility that this can be done laproscopically and she can avoid invasive open surgery. We won't find out, of course, until we talk with the surgeon. We will keep you all posted. Sherry is more upset about having to wait than she is about the actual operation. She just wants the "watermelon" gone. I think she is a little more apprehensive than she lets on, but overall, she has a great attitude about it all. It's just another step in "moving forward" and "getting her Sherry back." I am more convinced than ever that she can do it to. When she first came home in February, I was hopeful that she could recover. But I told myself that this could be it, this may be how my wife is forever. I was okay with that. I am still okay with it. If her recovery were to stop tomorrow, it's okay and we will make the best out of the situation. I love her no matter what and will stay by her side. But after watching her slow, constant progress, her work ethic and can-do attitude, I now expect her to get her old self, or very close to it, back. She remains my "miracle in progress."

On Sunday we had a small family gathering to celebrate (belatedly) Chelsea and Brittney's birthday. Chelsea turned 13 in early August and Britt turned 11 at the beginning of this month. We had a very long, difficult summer with many behaviour issues that made things difficult for Sherry (and Jody and I as well.) With school revving up again, we hope things will settle down, although as we all know, with kids it never really settles down. Despite all the trials and tribulations of raising our girls, I am so glad that they are part of our life. I can't imagine life without them. This last year has affected them in ways that we don't even realize, I'm sure of that. We are all doing our best to make sense of what happened and to move on as best we can. With all that the girls have already gone through before coming to our family, it has got to be so hard for them. They almost lost another mother. I am not always good about remembering that. Above is a picture from the party.

enough for now,

I love my wife....we won't stop moving forward until the job is done

Dean

Lots of news....

Much has happened since my last post several days ago. Sherry contiues to do very well, always "moving forward." She is doing much more these days, always getting up at home and "running amuck." She helps clean the dishes, she is making great progress with all her self-help skills. One example, when she first returned home in February I would put a hairbrush in her hand as she sat on the edge of the bed after a shower. She would try to brush her hair, most times using the wrong side of the brush. She would try for a few seconds until she became frustrated and then give the brush back to me. Now when she gets out of the shower, she finds the brush on the counter by herself, looks intently into the mirror and does a good job brushing her hair, staying at it until it is to her liking. I can't tell you the simple joy I get out of standing back and watching her as she brushes her hair this way and that way until it is just so. She is also making progress in dressing herself, putting on her own shirt or nightgown several times now. She seems to have so much more confidence now, her attitude is still amazing. She knows she has more work to do, but is looking forward to doing it and "getting her Sherry back."

Today she began actual vision therapy. She and Jody made the appt. as I had to work. It all seemed to go well, but it's just the start. Vision therapy will last at least 6 months and require a lot of work for Sherry at home. We all feel that this is a very crucial period of time for Sherry. But, we also feel that it is coming at just the right time. She is making so much progress in other areas, her attitude is so good, her strength and stamina are improving so much. We think she is ready to "kick it up another notch," to quote one of her favorite TV personalities (Emeril from the FoodNetwork.) We will of course keep you updated on the progress of vision therapy throughout the coming weeks and months.

On this coming Monday Sherry will go in for a CT scan of her abdoman. Those of you who have seen Sherry since her return home will have noticed a large "protrusion" from her abdoman. It always looked abnormal to us but we were told, at first, that it was just "fat." Well, now it seems as if it may be a hernia. The CT scan will confirm or eliminate this diagnosis. If confirmed, Sherry will probably need an operation to take care of it. She faces this possibility with the same attitude she brings to every other part of her situation. She sees it as just another step in moving forward. Besides she wants to get rid of the "watermelon" that she has had to carry around for so many months now. She is totally okay with possibly going back to the hospital for a short time. We should find out more next week and will of course let you all know.

Well, enough for one night although there is more to be told.

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

bad, bad, husband

Tonight, I got into trouble. After dinner Sherry got up and walked into the kitchen. She looked into the sink and saw a few dirty dishes. She asked me why they had not been cleaned up yet. I of course stuttered and stammered some lame excuse that she didn't buy. "I'll do it then", she said (or words to that effect anyway) So, she proceeded to do the dishes. She is slowly but surely making her way back. The fact that she is beginning to do these routine daily activities has us feeling pretty good about where we are right now. I was so thrilled about her working in the kitchen that I ran and got the camera and took a few photos, one of which you see above.

short post tonight...enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Surprises

I'm a little on the tired side again tonight. I guess sitting in the 93 degree heat at Autzen for several hours drained me. I know that Sherry will be disappointed if I do not post an entry tonight though. She had quite a day. So, with the replay of todays game on in the background...heres what happened.

In order for me to go to the game, Sean came over to spend the afternoon with his mother and watch the game on TV. I went to the game and hooked up with my buddy Steve and a friend of his (our usual "third" Rick was returning today from an Army Reserve stint in South Korea, but was unable to make it in time for the game.) We ran into my brother and his wife in the Mo Center before the game and had a nice visit with them. Then it was up to our seats in the heat for the game. The Ducks were up big midway through the fourth quarter, so I left early to beat the LTD rush (and the heat.)

When I finally got back home I found Sherry in the best mood I have seen her in a long time. She was so happy. The first thing I noticed was that she was wearing one of my old Duck t-shirts. Now, I don't recall Sherry donning Duck stuff....EVER! My first thought was, how on earth did she get the shirt on. I was pretty sure Sean had not helped her....lol. He told me that she had just gone into the bedroom and started looking through my dresser until she found an appropriate shirt. Brittney was in the room with her and gave her one verbal cue about the the shirt being upside down and then Sherry put it on herself.

At some point during the afternoon, she went into the kitchen and decided the stove top needed to be cleaned. So, she cleaned it. After I got home and Sean had left, I made dinner and when Sherry was finished I watched her pick up her bowl and cup, carry it into the kitchen, rinse them off in the sink and put them into the dishwasher! She needed a little help finding the faucet handle, but that was about it. It was not totally smooth, it took her some time and effort to find the appropriate places to put the dishes in the washer, but she did it. She is trying so hard. She wants to get "her Sherry" back. It was just a few months ago that we were all so happy that she was able to get out of her chair in the living room, walk to the bathroom, use the bathroom, and then make it back to her chair. Now she is beginning to do some other routine household things. She thinks she will do even better when she gets her glasses later this week. In two weeks she begins vision therapy, who knows what kind of progress she will make then. We are certainly very optimistic. If vision therapy helps her, what will that mean for all her other therapies? It is just an exciting time and we are so hopeful. Today was a good day. Sherry enjoyed her time with her son, enjoyed watching the game and the things she accomplished around the house.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Vision Therapy 2

Well, today was quite a day. Our follow up consultation with Dr. Foley was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. I think we were all still a little apprehensive. Would Sherry be a good candidate for vision therapy or would her work with the prisms be the most that could be done for her at Foley Vision Center? As it turned out the appointment was a very positive experience. They have recommended that Sherry undergo 25 sessions of vision therapy to try to help her eyes work together, to help retrain the brain to recognize what it is she is seeing and various other things. The sessions are 40 minutes long once a week. Dr. Foley seems very impressed with Sherry's progress since coming home in February. She is optimistic that vision therapy along with all the other therapy Sherry is receiving can greatly improve her life. She does not discount the idea of Sherry being able to work again at some point. In fact she is very upbeat about the possibilities. She also prescribed glasses for Sherry, which made her very happy. Sherry has felt for a long time that she would benefit from glasses. She should get those sometime next week. She will continue to work with the prisms, especially during physical therapy.

After the appt. we went to DMV so that I could renew my Oregon ID card that had expired on my birthday last month. While I was there I talked the lady behind the counter into giving a me quick driver's eye exam. As most of you know, I have never been able to drive due to my own eye condition. Specialized contact lenses that we got in Boston several years have made a huge difference in my quality of life. At the time I got the lenses, I was 38 years old, had never had a license. The thought of actually trying to get one had rarely crossed my mind. I had always gotten along fine without one and besides, Sherry could drive. Well, now we find ourselves unable to get around on our own. It is very hard to have to rely on others for transportation all of the time. Well, I managed to pass the quick eye exam so I think I am finally ready to learn how to drive. If that little piece of news doesn't scare the bejesus out of those of you who know me I don't know what will :)

So, it was a very exciting, busy day. Sherry now has even more work ahead of her but we are so impressed with all of the therapists on "her team." We are all excited about the possibilities.

enough for now,

I love my wife.......tomorrow we move forward,



Dean

Where are the Lou Gehrigs?

Okay, I know it's a strange title for this blog. I am just dead tired and trying to stay up long enough to put a few thoughts down. As I write this, one of my favorite T.V. shows is on in the background. PBS has a great show called "History Detectives." If you have never seen it, I recommend it highly, for what it is worth. One segment of tonight's show centered around baseball great Lou Gehrig. Gehrig is of course known for his consecutive game record that stood for years and years, his integrity and his famous "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech of July 4, 1939. He made his famous statement that day probably knowing that he was dying of the horrible disease that now bears his name. I found myself fighting back some tears as I watched the story and the old footage of the speech (which I have of course seen a bizillion times.) It was not the first time today that I almost felt like crying.

Earlier in the day I went out to lunch to Papa's Pizza. Before I left work I grabbed a newspaper to read while I ate. It turned out to be part of the Sunday R-G. After reading about the latest news on the Ducks and the Op-Ed page I came across a story by Mark Baker. He was paying tribute to a former girlfriend who was murdered 10 years ago. I think it might be the most powerful piece of local journalism I have read in years. It is a long story, but I think it's worth the time to read. If you are interested follow this link (after you finish this of course :) Link

What do these two things have to do with Sherry and our current situation? For one thing, perspective. My family has been though a lot in the last year or so. I have said before how easy it is to wallow in self pity, to think that our situation is the worst ever (yes, I have actually had that thought at times.) Well, my wife is alive and working hard to recover. If you read Mark Bakers story you will feel the pain of suddenly losing someone that you had loved and continued to be close to. They don't have the chance to recover...they are gone, and the pain does not go away.

So...where does that leave Lou Gehrig in all of this? What is Lou Gehrig really famous for? He is most famous for his work ethic, his humility and integrity. Yes, he did great things on the ball field, but I think his greatness transcended the game he played. He set an example for life in general. Work hard, be humble and honest and if the unimaginable happens approach it with those same qualities. I have always thought that he embodied the values of the "little guy."

Sherry is not famous, she has not set any records. She has worked hard, very hard to get better. She is consistently humble, always giving credit to her family and therapists for her progress. She always says she needs to work harder. She knows just what she wants and we are going to get there. I have said it before, she is my hero. I will do anything to help her. She does not consider herself the "luckiest person on the face of the earth" by any means. However, I know exactly what she would say if she was pushed in front of a microphone at Yankee Stadium. " I am Sherry Ann Emert Jackson...and I am alive and moving forward!" She has handled herself with a grace that amazes me. She is not a wonderwoman, just a everyday girl who puts her head down and plows ahead everyday.

Just something to contemplate. Where are the Lou Gehrigs today? If you accept my premise that he stood for hard work, humility, integrity and honesty...where do you see that in today's popular culture? President Bush?? Mel Gibson?? Barry Bonds?? Rush Limbaugh?? Times are sure different, it's a shame.

Sorry for the rambling tonight, enough for now

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Thank you :)

Just a short post tonight to thank those of you that take the time and effort to leave words of encouragement for Sherry. It really does make a difference. When Sherry knows that someone has left a comment she makes me pull up a chair to the computer where she can sit and we go to the website and then to the blog where she has me read all the comments. It almost always brings some tears to her eyes. I have become amazed at what a few words can do for her attitude. I know that you are all very busy, but please keep it up. You are a big part of Sherry getting better.

I can't thank you enough,

enough for now, (told you I would keep it short tonight)

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Prisms

Today was Sherry's second visit to the Foley Vision Center
She was scheduled for a sensory motor exam and she was more than a little apprehensive about it. I think she was afraid that they would tell her that there was nothing they could do for her. While we won't know for sure until next week, after the appointment, we all felt pretty good about the posibilities.

I resisted the temptation to post this entry as soon as we got home. I wanted to let a little time pass to digest what had happened. What seemed to have happened has us very encouraged. When we arrived at the clinic Jody and I helped Sherry navigate her way from the car to the clinic door. We held her hand and used verbal cues. We moved slowly as we usually do in unfamiliar territory.

The exam began with the vision therapist asking Sherry to walk around the room unassisted. After observing this for awhile, she put a pair of prisms on Sherry's face. Prisms are designed to bend light and "bring the world" into the brain in a different way (at least I think that is what the therapist said.) She had Sherry walk around the room again and then changed the degree of angle of the prisms. Sherry was asked to walk around the room again and again the degree of angle was changed. This happened several times and then Sherry (with prisms) was put through a few tests. At the end of the exam, Sherry was asked to find me in the room and walk toward me. She located me right away and walked to me faster than I have ever seen her walk, with a huge smile on her face. We repeated this several times. It seemed obvious that something was different. Sherry thought so too. The therapist told us that by changing the prism, we had been stimulating different areas of Sherry's brain.

At first I was very excited, but then I began to wonder if Sherry had just gotton used to the room and that was the reason she was getting about so well. As we left the clinic, the therapist followed us all the way out to the car to see if there was any "residual" effects from using the prisms. This is when I really started to get excited. Sherry followed me out to the car. There was nobody holding her hand or giving her directions. She was walking with confidence, at a faster pace than usual. It is hard to explain, but things were different, better. Everyone felt it. We know this is not a miracle, that Sherry's eyesight is not now suddenly restored. However, it was a very encouraging moment. Maybe there really are things we can do to help get her vision back, or at least improve her quality of life. We will know more when we consult with Dr. Foley next week.

I want to thank Jody for all her help, her observations were a big help during Sherry's appointment. I also want to extend a big thank you to my co-worker Lynne. I had not intended on going to this appointment with Sherry because of work. Lynne could tell how much I wanted to be there and talked me into going. Thank you Lynne.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Looking forward

Well, another fairly busy weekend now behind us. On Saturday my sister Kim picked us up and we all went to my brother Brian's house warming party. Brian and Amber have recently returned "home" after spending a few years in Illinois. Everyone is glad that they are back. We missed them while they were away. Sherry did well but due to the heat we only stayed a few hours.

On Sunday we went to church for the first time in several weeks. It was good to be back. There was an all church picnic after services and we enjoyed the fine company, food and music. Our church has been so very supportive of our family since Sherry became ill in July of last year. Our Pastor, Doug Rose made several trips to Portland when Sherry was in the hospital there. He was more helpful to me than I think he really knows. The church as a whole supported (and continue to support) us in many ways. They have donated money, transportation, moral support and much more. We don't thank them as often we should. They have made a huge difference. If we didn't have the support of our family and friends, our church, our places of employment and in some cases, people we don't even know, we would never had made it through this. It really does "take a village."

Looking forward, Sherry has her second appointment at the Foley Vision Center on Tuesday. Dr. Foley contacted Sherry's therapists at Sacred Heart last week as she said she would. We are all excited about this new addition to Sherry's team of people who work so hard to help her. We won't know for a few weeks whether or not we will continue to work directly with Dr. Foley's office or not, we certainly hope so though.

Well, enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward.

Dean

Vision therapy

A very busy day today. I was able to go with Sherry to her therapy sessions today and was so proud of her. She worked on time telling skills in speech therapy. She struggles with the concept of reading time, but made some progress today. I think it is just a matter of time (no pun intended) before she gets the hang of it again. In physical therapy she continued working on "path finding" skills, getting from one place to another, finding objects etc. She shows improvement everytime I see her. At home she is getting around much better also, no longer afraid to get up and explore or "run amuck" as she says. Lori (occupational therapist) wants us to get her working in the kitchen more, so that will begin to become more of a priority.

The big news of the day was Sherry's visit to Foley Vision Center for an evaluation. This was very late in the afternoon, after a hard day of work already. But Sherry was wonderful and had a great attitude that I think impressed the staff at the Center. The bottom line seems to be that Sherry does have functional vision to work with. She certainly has deficits, some field loss and other issues, but they think they may be able to work with her to help her "relearn" how to see. She will go back next week for further testing, using some lenses and prisms and being put through some "real life" situations. After that session, we will consult again with Dr. Foley to decide if a vision therapy program would be helpful. I can't help but think it will be. The things Dr. Foley was saying fall right in line with what we think is happening with Sherry. The Doctor kept using the phrase "this is very exciting." She also said that we will probably not get to 20/20, but that her life might be greatly improved. I left feeling very good about the appointment. Sherry did also although she realizes that this means even more work for her. If anyone can do it, she can. The Vision Center is going to work closely with Sherry's other therapists at Scared Heart and I am excited about the possible gains she could make in the near future. This may be the final piece of the puzzle we need to bring Sherry as far back as possible. There is still a long road ahead but I go to bed tonight feeling good about where we are.

enough for now,

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

Family time

Wow...it's been a busy couple of days since I last posted. On Sunday, we got Chelsea off to her week long stint at church camp (thanks to Trish for the ride and of course to our church who made the whole thing possible.) We all hope this turns out to be fun, positive experience for her. Brittney will go to her camp this coming Sunday. Later on Sunday we travelled to Curtis and Joys house in Lebanon for a family reunion of sorts. Sherry's sister Michelle and part of her family were there as were Sean and Jody and kids. We had a great visit. It was the first time Sherry has seen Michelle in many months. She visited Sherry during the course of her illness, but Sherry does not remember it. If any of you are interested in seeng the photos and video clips from the trip just follow the link you will find at www.sherrysjourney.com. The food was wonderful and included halibut that Curtis had caught on their recent trip to Alaska. This was a pretty major trip for Sherry. It was the farthest she had been away from home since coming home in February. It was a long day for her, but she was great. Her strength is improving every day. The day was capped off back at home with a visit from Sherry's step mom Dona.

Today, I took the day off and we went to the girls school to get them regestered for the coming year. Then it was off to Costco. Sherry walked the whole time we were in the store, about two hours. Again, her strength is improving. When we got home Sherry worked with a deck of playing cards, identifying the numbers and suits very well, missing only one or two. This evening she took her second bath and totally enjoyed it. Getting in and out was no problem again.

Tomorrow is a huge day for us. I am taking the day off again to go to therapy with Sherry. She has all three sessions, so it will good for me to touch base with all of her therapists and to watch how well she is doing. Then late in the afternoon she has her vision therapy evaluation. Hopefully, they will tell us that she is a good candidate for vision therapy and we will get her going on that.

Well, we have had a few really good days and are hopeful for tomorrow. Enough for now.

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

something as simple as a .........

Before Sherry became ill one of her favorite simple pleasures in life was getting into her oval bathtub filled almost to the brim with scalding hot water. She would lay back and just soak it all in, watching a little tv, maybe eat a Skittle candy or two, sometimes light a few candles. She would be in heaven. Due to the complexities of getting in and out of her tub, we had not dared try a bath since she came home to us in February. It has been well over a year since Sherry has been able to enjoy a hot bath. Tonight we finally said enough talking about it...lets just do it! So tonight, Sherry got another little piece of her life back. Something as simple as a hot bath, it is amazing what a difference it can make. She did it. Getting in the tub was not too difficult. When the tub began filling with hot water, she started to cry she was so happy. When the tub was done filling I left her alone, peeking in on her from time to time. This is the happiest I have seen her in quite some time. When it was time to get out, I have to admit, I was a little anxious. But she did it with ease (and a little help from me.)

I know that being able to take a bath when she wants to will help bring back some sense of normalacy to her life. She is coming back, a little bit at a time. It is a joy to be a part of it. Tonight was a good night.

enough for now,

I love my wife...tomorrow we continue to move forward,

Dean

even on a less than good day...

Kind of a hard day all the way around today. Not profoundly hard, but somewhat difficult. For me, at work it was the last day of class for the year. I help teach 4 different preschool speech and language classes. Two of our classes will continue next year, but two of the groups will be moving on to kindergarten, so we will not be seeing them again. We have been working with some of these kids (and families) for over two years now. It is hard to say goodbye, but I know we have done alot to help them and that feels great. I have been doing this for about 12 years now and have seen many kiddos come and go. I am proud of what we do. My job has made it easier to get through our personal difficulties. I have had to get though the last few days without my cohort, Teacher Lynne. Lynne is recovering from ear surgery and will return next week. GET WELL SOON TEACHER LYNNE! I have had Brittney and Chelsea come to work with me all of this week to help out. I think it has been good for them and they have enjoyed it.

Sherry had a bit of a down day. Just thinking about what she cannot yet do instead of how far she has come. I remember when she first came home in February, I use to get kind of angry at her when she got this way. I just wanted to always be so positive, to plow ahead as if she shouldn't have normal feelings. It took me awhile to realize my mistake. She needs to know that it is okay and normal to have down times...who wouldn't? Now we just talk, joke our way out of it. I have two rules that I "enforce" with Sherry. She cannot say anything that is untrue about herself and she cannot put herself down. Other than that, if she wants to complain, whine, piss and moan I will listen. The majority of the time her attitude is amazing and is what keeps her going. She is doing great, even on a less than good day.

it's late....enough for now,

I love my wife....tomorrow we move forward,

Dean

One of those simple, special days

Today was a good day for me. I took our youngest daughter, Brittney, to work with me and totally enjoyed it. She was great working with the kids and really did help out alot. We both had lunch with my mother and that was great as well. A couple of things that had been weighing heavy on my mind were resolved. It looks as if Sherry's therapy will continue without interruption, at least for awhile longer. We are always afraid that OMAP will begin to deny coverage for her therapy sessions. She is still doing great, making great strides. It would be such a shame and very shortsighted for the State of Oregon to stop now and leave the job half finished. Sherry has so much potential and is so willing to put in the work, I can't believe that anyone would stand in her way. But, we know that it could happen at any time. We are trying to make arrangements for therapy alternatives in the event her sessions are cut off. But for now, all is well.

I was able, with the help of the downtown congregation of our church, to arrange for transportation to summer camp for both of our girls. As most of you know, I have never been able to drive due to a lifelong eye problem. Sherry has not been able to drive since her illness began. It is not easy raising a family without a car. We find ourselves constantly depending on others for help. I think it is one of the hardest things we have had to deal with since this all began. We are very fortunate that we know so many caring people who are willing to help. We appreciate you all.

Tonight, during dinner Sherry made a point to tell me that she could "see" her corn and her spoon better than she usually can. I watched her eat and it was like watching a normal sighted person eat. After dinner she got up to "run amuck" in the kitchen. She asked me why I hadn't put the Mayo away after seeing the jar on the counter. Then she told me I should cover the cookies Jody made with something so they would last longer. She is trying more things, working even harder at home. She is thinking things through, trying to figure out ways she can do things. She asked me to print out the letters of the alphabet so she can improve her skills in that area. She seems to be on a roll. She is still my "miracle in progress" and I love her so much.

Well it's time to turn in. If you have read this far, why not click on the "comments" link just below this post and send Sherry some encouraging words. She really appreciates them, as do I.

Enough for now,

I love my wife.......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

the little moments......

We now have an official teenager in the family. Chelsea turned 13 on Aug. 2nd. God help us all....lol! Chelsea is getting ready for a week of camp coming up this Sunday. It will be the longest time she has been away from home (if you do not count her stay at grandma's during Sherry's illness.) We think she is ready for it and hope that she has great time. We want to thank Allison Park Christian Church for paying for both of our girls to go to camp. Our church has been such a blessing to our family during this entire ordeal. I know we don't thank them enough.

The first of August was our 9th wedding anniversary. We waited until this last Saturday to celebrate however, going out to dinner at OutBack. With the exception of locking ourselves out of our house and a real "keystone cops" adventure getting back in, it was a wonderful time. I have a very special plan in store for Sherry next year for our anniversary.....shhhh, don't tell her :)

Happy birthday to Sean! We will celebrate with you this weekend.

This evening Sherry got up to go to the bathroom, something she does by herself all the time now. As I was working on the computer in the living room, Brittney suddenly said "daddy, mommy is digging around in her dresser" (something she does not normally do.) I walked into the bedroom and sure enough, she was into one of her drawers. She was almost a little teary eyed when she said "I was going to surprise you." She was looking for a nightgown and she wanted to get into it by herself. I helped her find one and then left the room. In less than two minutes she walked out in the nightgown with a great big smile on her face. We all gave her a huge hug and Brittney began to read the words she saw on Sherry's nightgown...."it's the little moments that make life special."

How true.

enough for now,

I love my wife.......tomorrow we move forward.

Dean

The vision thing

Only time for a real quick post as I get ready for work this morning. We got the okay from Dr. Mundall, Sherry's neurologist, to proceed with vision therapy. She will be evaluated soon to see if this kind of therapy can help her. Sherry's vision issues continue to be her primary concern, it worries her the most. When she first came out of the coma like state she was in for over six weeks, she could only see light and dark, and not much of that. She has what is called Cortical Blindness. The damage to her brain is in the area that affects vision. There is nothing wrong with her eyes. The brain is just not making sense of what she sees. It is difficult for her to explain what her vision is like. She says she can see somethings and not see other things. Certainly her vision has improved, but it remains very frustrating to her. Although there appears to be some permanant damage the brain is a mysterious thing. We remain hopeful that there is more improvement to come.

I think Sherry paid a price for being such a trooper on my birthday this weekend. She was pretty sick the next day. She was better yesterday, but still not quite herself. Hopefully today she will be all the way back.

The picture on the top of this post is Sherry's most recent attempt at signing her name. It is by far the best, she is getting better at it. She was rightfully proud of what she did, holding the piece of paper in her had to show me as soon as I walked in the door last night. I am so proud of her.

well, thats all I have time for this morning,

I love my wife.... today we move forward

A Much Better Birthday

Today (actually since it is after 1 a.m., yesterday) was my birthday. Last year at this time Sherry had been sick for a few days and would soon be on her way to Emanual Hospital in Portland. Needless to say, it was not a good birthday. This year was just the opposite. Sherry was with me as we all spent the late afternoon and evening at my sisters house in Springfield. My brother and sister in law were there as well as Sean and Jody and several friends. The photo above was taken in Kim's backyard. We hung out in the backyard and enjoyed chicken cooked on the grill and a great birthday cake (not to mention a few beers). Sherry was great. She had a great time, seeing much of what was going on and being very social. It was the closest thing to "old times" I have experienced in quite some time. I want to thank everyone involved, especially my sister Kim for setting it all up and giving us rides to and from the party. Thanks to Sean for giving a few of us Texas Hold' Em poker lessons. We want to get together and do that again soon! Kim is going to take the girls overnight this coming Saturday so Sherry and I can celebrate our ninth anniversay alone. That will also be a very special night. Outback here we come! I uploaded a few pictures of the party to our media hosting site. You can get there if you wish by clicking on the link that can be found on our homepage at www.sherrysjourny.com.

We got the results of Sherry's most recent MRI late last week. Dr. Mundall said the scans reveal some "slight shrinkage" in the area of Sherry's brain that suffered the damge. This is in addition to the damage previously discovered. He said however, that it doesn't look significant enough to "make her worse." It looks as if there will be some permanant damage in the area of her brain that regulates her vision. He did tell me to still be positive about the possibility of improvement. Most likely though, it will not return to exactly as it was before. None of this was really news, we knew it from the previous scans. But Sherry "has surprised us before" as Dr. Mundall pointed out. She continues to move forward with a great attitude and work ethic.

We now feel the time may be right to get her into vision therapy and have begun taking steps in that direction. She has a tentitive appointment for an initial evaluation to see if it can help her. Vision therapy is expensive and not covered by insurance. I have set aside some funds just for this but will probably not have enough to pay for all the treatment she may require. Our family is considering another Papa's Pizza fundraiser in the fall to help pay for her therapy, if she does start treatment. From the little I know about vision therapy, it sounds like it just what she needs...we will see what the eval tells us.

Well, enough for now,

I love my wife.....tomorrow we move forward.

Dean

A forward moving girl....

I have recently become a bit of a Dixie Chicks fan. The title song of their latest CD always makes me think of our current situation. There is a line that goes ..."it's been two long years now, since the top of the world came crashing down." Well, it's been one long year for us...feels like more than two. Today is the one year anniversary of Sherry being hospitilized. I was afraid it would really affect Sherry and didn't really think much about myself being affected. Right before I left for work this morning she gave me a big hug and didn't want to let go. I could tell she was a little emotional and I said "you know what today is don't you ?" She looked up at me and replied "it's been a year hasn't it?" I just nodded my head as I was beginning to choke up and didn't want her to know it. "Don't worry honey, I'm moving forward...I'm a forward moving girl." As I left she had a smile on her face and I had very moist eyes. She is such an amazing person.

Sherry had a great day at therapy (with little Brittney's help.) and was in a great mood when I returned home in the evening. I however, was pretty much a wreck all day thinking about the year anniversary, looming insurance issues, the passing of a former co-worker and just the general stuff happening in the world. My salvation of course was that I get to work with children. It's hard to stay sad when you look at their faces and hear some of the things that come out of their mouths. One of our kiddos (preschool mind you) heard the word "kissing" today and said "I'm gonna grow up and get me a girl." See what I mean...it made Lynne and I both crack up.

Well, not much to add. I know not many people read this, but I always feel better after tapping this stuff out (as corny and over dramatic as I know it must sound at times) and I didn't want to let this day pass without comment. The Dixie Chicks song mentioned at the top goes like this:

"It's been two long years now
since the top of the world came crashing down
but I'm gettin it back on the road again
taking the long way around, taking the long way around"

The Dixie Chicks were of course writing about the ordeal they went through for making anti George Bush comments in England, but the words kind of frame our situation. We may be taking the long way, but we are heading in the right direction and will take the road as far as it will lead us. We are just thankful to be together.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward (she's a forward moving girl you know)

Dean

Remembering Teacher Kris

July 26th marks the one year anniversary of Sherry being admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital. It probably goes without saying that it has been the hardest 365 days of my life. When you are caught up in the middle of an ordeal, dealing with it day to day, it is very easy to become very self centered in a way. You (at least me) think that your situation is somehow unique...that nobody has a situation quite as bad as you and that it couldn't possibly get any worse. Well, of course none of that is true and life has a way of smacking you upside the head to let you know that it is not true. Today I got "smacked upside the head" in a real big way.

This morning at the Eugene Hearing and Speech Center we found out that a former colleague, Kris Wilson had passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. Kris was only 48 years old. She apparently died from complications of Lupis.

Kris was a speech-language pathologist who ran the preschool program (and was therefore, my direct supervisor) for about 2 1/2 years. I have worked in the program for about 12 years now, and have worked with several SLP's. I have enjoyed working with them all but Kris was special in many ways. I think the highest compliment that I can pay to Kris is to call her a real "teacher." She was so good with the kids, and so interested in any problem they could possibly have. She was always teaching and at the same time always learning as well. She eventually left the Center and started her own business called EduCare where she helped children discover how they learned the best, their learning styles.

Kris offered to help our kids many times. On more than one occasion I had composed an email to her, asking her to help only to decide that I hadn't described the problem in the right way or something. I could always do it tomorrow. There was always tomorrow. I wish I had asked her for her help if for no other reason than my kids could have experienced Kris Wilson. Who knows what kind of difference her passion, good sense and heart might have made. I will honestly always wonder. I feel I let a real opportunity slip by.

So...the next time I feel sorry for myself and my situation I will try to think of Kris's husband and her two kids. Yes, Sherry has many things to overcome and the future is still uncertain, but we are together. We are so lucky.

This blog is about Sherry, but I just wanted to let the few people who might read this know that our community has lost someone special.

enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

A Real Trooper

Sherry had her MRI scan of her brain today and was a real trooper. She has had at least three previous scans, but was pretty much unconscience for all of them. This time she was wide awake and more than a little apprehensive. However, she made it through with flying colors....piece of cake as she says. Jody told me that Sherry did a great job of answering the questions put to her by the nurse before the scan. She seems to be thinking so much more clearly these days. She still has a lot of gaps of course but we all still see many positive changes, and that is all we can ask of her. Now we have to wait several days to see if they tell us anything new or shed any light as to what the occasional "episodes" are all about.

Sherry's stepmother Dona paid a visit last night. The last time she had seen Sherry was shortly after the last episode. I think she was relieved to see Sherry back to where she was before. It was a great visit as always with many laughs and even an occasional tear. Dona has been such a big part of Sherry's getting better (not to mention helping me get through the tough days.) Sherry and I both appreciate her so much.

Sherry asked me to be sure to thank Jody again tonight. So....thank you Jody :) She does such a great job. I think her and Sherry have become so much closer than they ever would have thought possible. One thing is for sure, our family would be in a world of hurt without her. Tomorrow she is taking part of the day off so she can be with her cousin who is having a baby. Sean will take over the duties of helping his mother for the day. He will get to go with her as she does therapy. I think he will be pretty impressed with his mom's hard work and attitude.

I added a few links to the text of the "Sherry's Journey" page on www.sherrysjourney.com. So, if you have not visited the site for a few days and have some time to kill, check it out. One of the links is to an information page about "TENS," the syndrome that sent Sherry to the Oregon Burn Center (there is also a link to their website as well.) TENS is closely associated with Steven's Johnson's syndrome which is what made me sick at the age of four and affected my eyes. The day they told me that it had happened to her was one of the very worst days and nights of the whole ordeal, because I already knew how bad and dangerous it could be. I remember thinking what a cruel sense of humor or irony or something God must have to let Sherry come down with the same rare syndrome that had so affected my life. I was pretty much angry with the world on that night. I have lightened up a bit on that, but still think about it from time to time.

Please take some time and leave your thoughts for Sherry by clicking on the "comment" link directly below this post. It really does help her and she looks forward to hearing from you all.

Enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

A good day

This afternoon Sherry's mother and step father came to visit. We had not seen them for a bit because they had been travelling in Alaska. Sherry's mom took her to get a much needed haircut and Curtis and I stayed home and got caught up. After eating lunch we put the memory card from their camera into our DVD player and watched a slideshow of their recent trip. Sherry was pretty excited and said she could see quite a bit. I am looking forward to making a DVD of all the pictures for them. I have not really done any video editing work since Sherry first got sick, almost one year ago now. Wow...Sherry was hospitalized on July 26th of last year. It is so hard to believe that it has been a year. Sherry has come so far. A doctor at Sacred Heart and a nurse at Eugene Rehab told Joy and Curtis that Sherry would probably spend the rest of her life in a nursing home. Nobody ever told me that, which was probably a good thing. Well...as far as I'm concerned, she has proved them wrong. She still has a long road ahead of her, but she is making progress, getting better and better as she would say. She is home with her family, where she belongs. She has hope for the future, and goals she wants to reach. She is truely my "miracle in progress."

After Joy and Curtis left we had a family movie, Mary Poppins. The girls really enjoyed it (not my favorite movie) Sherry could not stop talking about her mothers visit and getting a haircut. All in all it was a very good day.

Enough for now.

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward.

Dean

Spending the family fortune

Sherry had a very good day today. She seems to be back to where she was before the episode of last Thursday. She is getting around the house great again and getting out of the house as well. This afternoon she and Brittney and Jody made a trip to Costco where they proceeded to spend the family fortune. Jody said that Sherry did just great, not getting tired and enjoying the entire event.

She loved her massage so much the other day that we have made arrangements to have her get one every other week for awhile. It also really seemed to help Sherry's hands and fingers which have been a concern for a long time now. The following day her occupational therapist was impressed with the improvement.

I have added a video link to www.sherrysjourney.com. You can now see video clips of her very first visit back to her old job at the Lane County Courthouse in March of 2006 (at least I think it was March.....seems ages ago) It was a happy and tearful reunion. Sherry sure worked with a wonderful group of people. Her goal is to someday return to work there. I will change the video clips from time to time, so check back every now and again.

Well, enough for now,

I love my wife......tomorrow we move forward

Dean

Back on track

Not too much to report today except that Sherry continues to recover from whatever it was that happened last Thursday. She is getting around the house pretty much on her own again and showing alot of confidence. She had a great day today, no therapy but did some work at home. Brittney has become quite a little "therapist." She works with Sherry between actual therapy sessions (Sherry usually has three session per visit, speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy.) Brittney also works with Sherry on her "days off." She really takes pride in being part of her mothers getting better. Chelsea helps in many other ways, but it is Britt that has really taken an interest in "therapy." Jody, as always is doing a great job as our in home care provider. She does much more than her job description requires, helping to manage the kids, providing transportation and much more. Sherry is getting better and it is in large part due to Jody's hard work and good sense.

Dr. Mundall's office called today. Sherry now has an MRI scan scheduled for Wednesday July 19th. Hopefully it will enlighten us as to what might be going on with these seizures or whatever they are.

Sherry has been through many different therapists and without exception, she has liked all of them. Tomorrow she will say goodbye to one of her favorites. Tammy, who is a physical therapy intern (from Montana) at the outpatient rehab department at Scared heart has been working closely with Sherry for a couple of months now. Wednesday will be her last day to work with Sherry. We all want to thank Tammy for all of the hard work she has put in for Sherry. That of course goes for all of her therapists, past and present as well. We hope Tammy will check back here from time to time to see how Sherry is doing and to leave comments when she does.

Well, I guess I had more to say than I first thought. Enough for now.

I love my wife.......tomorrow we move forward.

Dean

Small setback

On Thursday, July 6th Sherry had some kind of an "incident." We are not sure at this point if it was a seizure or not. She suddenly began to say that she could not hear anything. This has happened twice before, but always cleared up within 10-15 minutes. This time it lasted much longer. We got her home and into bed, she slept most of the day. When she woke up, her hearing seemed fine, but it was soon obvious that things were not quite the same as before. She had lost the ability to navigate around the house, something she was getting very good at. Everything else seemed okay, she just could not figure out where she was in space and where she needed to go. She had come so far in recent weeks and this was very disconcerting to us all.

I am posting this on the 10th of July and I talked to her neurologist today. He wants to schedule a new MRI for the near future. The good news is, tonight she was much better about getting around the house on her own again. Through all of this most recent turn of events, she has been very calm and remained in great spirits. She is truly amazing to me, my "miracle in progress" as I call her. I love her so much.

Last night we went out to dinner with my family to celebrate my mothers birthday. Sherry did great despite the loudness that I know was very difficult for her to deal with. She was s real trooper and had a great time.

Today, Sherry had a massage! Thank you Dona, for giving her a gift certificate! She loved it, thought the woman who gave her the massage was just great...we will be calling her again.

Well, enough for now.....tomorrow we move forward :)

Dean

WELCOME!

Welcome to the "Sherry's Journey" blog. First of all, I am a newbie to the blogosphere, so please be patient with me. Our website, sherrysjourney.com tells the story of our family's recent and ongoing medical ordeal. My hope is that our family and friends will come here from time to time to get caught up on the day to day goings on, the triumphs, the setbacks. Please leave your thoughts, Sherry will hear all of them. It helps.

Also, continue to visit our family page for more news, photos and video. Sherry is working hard every day to recover....it is a joy to see.

Dean